and finally, from border patrol to hiring new fbi agents, correction officers, federal prosecutors, all could be scaled back. now, all of these cuts, brooke, don't happen exactly at 12:01 a.m. on january 2nd. they happen over the course of a year. but agencies are preparing for an impasse in washington. this is exactly, exactly what policymakers are trying to avoid. brooke? >> thank you. >>> shock waves in washington today. powerful republican senator calling it quits. south carolina's senator jim demint will be stepping down december 31st to lead the heritage foundation. that's a powerful conservative think tank in d.c. demint says he can be more effective outside the senate. >> a lot of my role in the senate has been stopping bad things and saying no to bad things but we need to do more than that and tell americans what we're for. one of the mistakes i think the republican party made the last two years is trying to make obama the issue without sharing with america bold reform ideas that get people inspired to get behind us. >> senator demint, tea party supporter, and sometimes clashes